Thursday 18 December 2014

Christmas Ads - a poem from Joy Rice



There's Christmas ads on TV,
that tug at the heart strings.
Lots of images of family fun,
and all sorts of wonderful things.

There's Christmas lights up in the town,
trees and decorations everywhere.
But where is there a nativity scene?
I can't see one anywhere.

There's plenty of Christmas spirit about,
wine, liquor and plenty of booze.
Buy one get one free offers.
Tell me, how can you refuse?

There's queues in the supermarket,
people buying food for a feast.
But what about all those without?
Can we share a little....at least?

Where is the true spirit of Christmas?
The reason that we all celebrate...
We're supposed to remember a special baby,
not to pile up the food on our plate

Remember the food banks this Christmas.
Remember the poor and the lost.
Remember Christ born in poverty.
Remember to give without counting the cost.

Share what you have this Christmas.
Let's see what good you can achieve.
Christmas is a time for sharing and giving,
and it's better to give than to receive!

Friday 12 September 2014

Autumn 2014 Newsletter



CHRISTIAN WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP
AUTUMN 2014 NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the C.W.F. autumn newsletter and booking details for the 2015 Convention at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire.  Yes it’s that time again!
The details are as follows:-

Date: Friday 27th February to Sunday 1st March,                   
 2015.
The theme:  “Stepping Out In Faith”
(This is one of the titles chosen by a member at last year’s Convention).


The key speaker:  Margaret Barker DD, an eminent Biblical scholar and Methodist preacher.   
                                                                         
The Communion service will be led by Rowena Francis and the Bible Study by Christine Watson.

The Committee have made some changes to the usual Saturday programme as a trial.  This is in answer to many comments made on the evaluation slips.  We would like your comments please on how you find the new look on the next evaluation slip.
The following is where we have made slight alterations to the usual programme:-
Comment 1: “Make more use of the speaker”. There will be 3 sessions with the key  speaker instead of 2. 
Comment 2:  Too many workshops. Unless the speakers choose to split us into groups no workshops have been planned.
Comment 3:  Not enough time to go to the toilet/prepare for the Saturday evening meal:  Slight alterations to the programme will allow a little more time.  ­
And now to the all important cost of the weekend:-
£137 for an en-suite room and £112 for a standard room.  As usual you can book and pay in one go or you can pay a £50 deposit now and then 2 more payments before 31st January.
Day Visitors are welcome on the Saturday.  The cost, including     morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea, will be £40.  You may also have breakfast and/or Evening Dinner. Both of these meals cost an extra £6 each.
The preferred method of payment is by bank transfer either by internet banking or from your bank.  We still accept cheques but, if you pay by this method, please remember to keep enough money in your bank for several weeks to give the cheque time to be paid in and cleared.  We did have to pay charges for 2 bounced cheques last year.   
Now, if you are reading this thinking “I would love to go but I cannot afford it” then PLEASE don’t be afraid to ask for help from the Bursary. This is confidential (no names are read out or recorded).  Only the Booking Secretary, Treasurer and a trusted guarantor know. All you need to do is ask Linda, the Booking Sec. for an application form on which we just need a supporting signature e.g. your minister or a fellow C.W.F. member.  How to contact Linda is at the top of the booking form.  Last year we found that several churches helped their applicant by paying the deposit.  There will also be a fares pool for those living more than 12 miles from the Hayes.
Publicity Secretary
As mentioned in the last newsletter, this is Joy’s last year as the Publicity Secretary.  This is a nice little job for someone who likes computers.  It involves making the posters and badges.  Also, writing the 2 annual newsletters.  If anyone feels able to take this on and would like more information please contact Joy on cwf1927@gmail.com for a job description.
It is also Linda’s last year as Booking Secretary.  One member has volunteered to take over and is currently working along with Linda to see if she likes the job. 
All being well you will be able to vote on this new Committee member at the next Business Meeting.
Musicians
Are you able to play a musical instrument and be willing to accompany some of the singing? 
If so, please contact the Programme Secretary, Yvonne Attry on yvonne.att3@talk21.com or mention this on the booking form and I will inform Yvonne.

If you have any further questions please email or telephone Linda.                   Tel:  (0115) 916 2182 or email: linda.hind@gmail.com
We hope to hear from you soon
Yours in Christian Fellowship              The C.W.F. Committee

Friday 4 July 2014

Publicity - Job Description



Christian Women’s Fellowship - Publicity 

This role did not exist a few years ago. The role has become what I have made it; you may have more original ideas as to how you want to take it forward!
In a nutshell – Make Poster – Write article – Newsletters – Badges – Your own ideas!

Attend Planning meeting  after Swanwick usually May/June – suggest ideas (with others for a theme).Often a theme may have been decided at the lunchtime planning meeting at Swanwick – so I tend to Google ideas for a logo and take to this meeting.
When theme decided - design a poster – send to others on committee for feedback. Then use poster for publicity purposes.

Ways to advertise CWF – via poster & any flyers etc. (that you may wish to produce).
I have a generic flyer A4 & A5 size that I can email to you for info/use or you may wish to re-do.

Article - write a report or article for your Church magazine - I have sometimes emailed this to email contacts for use in their Churches magazines. Also put onto blog and Facebook. Can edit this for Reform.

Reform - (I’ve only had minimal luck here) 

Email – I have email addresses for several of women who attend.

Synod Offices - email poster/flyer/article/or any info to them. 

Internet To publicise CWF I created this blog

http://christianwomensfellowship.blogspot.co.uk/
 
I think that others can publish on this – but I could always copy and paste if need be.

Facebook – I also created a Facebook page – Christian Women’s Fellowship

Newsletters    After the Planning Meeting write the Spring/Summer newsletter.
Email to the Booking Secretary for her to send out to all the postal and email addresses.
Around the end of August do the same for the Autumn newsletter.  The Booking Secretary will then send it out along with the booking form for the next convention.

Other     About the end of January liaise with the Booking Secretary over the names of attendees.  Make name badges.  (for security reasons the Hayes likes the name of the organisation to be on the badge as well as the attendee’s name.)  Take the completed badges to the convention.
On arrival at Swanwick help the Booking Secretary by putting notices up in the conference hall.                                                                             

Ecstatic Pudding - ebook



Joy Rice is a writer and poet and ebook author 
of Ecstatic Pudding a collection of poems. 

She has been writing for most of her life, professionally as a teacher and composing poetry for fun since 1990’s. 
Joy is a performance poet, entertaining and amusing local groups for charity.
Self-published booklets have raised funds for LORUS hospice and for the Boy’s Brigade.
Joy lives in Nottingham and writes poems that reflect her humorous, quirky slant on life.

Her ebook – Ecstatic Pudding is now out there in cyberspace!

The website is now up and running www.joyrice.co.uk





She also has a Facebook Page
Joy’s Poems - on which she tries to put a poem or a few verses each day.

Why not LIKE and check it out?